According to Joanne Bath, three, four, and five-year-olds are some of the best artists because they are so unworried about what others think. As an example, Joanne often told the story of working with a three-year-old for five months on getting her to open her arm to play Mississippi Hotdog. When she finally got it, the child put her arms out wide and exclaimed, “This is a wonderful day! I can play Mississippi Hotdog all by myself!” What could be more wonderful and artistic than that, she said?

Joanne McMath Bath, 89, died peacefully on January 22 in Greenville, North Carolina, after a beautiful life filled with love, laughter, and music. Read about her amazing life through memories and histories.

“Joanne was able to see the potential in each person she encountered—student, teacher, friend—telling each one ‘you can do it.’ Her encouragement was empowering.”
-Sharon MIller, Suzuki teacher and teacher trainer

“Joanne believed so deeply in the beauty of children and the inherent good in the Suzuki philosophy and just knew those beliefs would someday save the world.”
-Nan Freeman, Suzuki teacher and institute director

Growing up in Portland, Oregon, Joanne began violin lessons at the age of nine and never looked back. In 1957, she received a Bachelor of Music Degree in Violin Performance from Denison University in Granville, Ohio. Afterward, she moved to Fontainebleau, France, where she received a Certificate in Music from the Conservatoire Americain. Then, she returned to the U.S. and graduated in 1959 with a Master of Music from the University of Michigan.
Michigan is where Joanne met Charles, her husband of fifty-nine years, while he was earning his piano doctorate. They performed for sixty years as the Bath Duo, giving hundreds of recitals throughout the world. She and Charles moved to Greenville in 1966, and Joanne joined the ECU School of Music faculty in 1993. She served there as the Hardy Distinguished Professor of Suzuki Pedagogy until her retirement in 2021.
A renowned violinist, teacher, and adjudicator, Joanne was one of the first violin teachers in the U.S. to adopt the teaching ideas of Shinichi Suzuki in 1963. She called Suzuki’s teaching philosophy an approach, not only a method, since he wanted teachers to tap into their own creativity and adjust in their own way to each student and family’s needs. This thinking was radical in its time and also how Joanne kept her teaching fresh.
As founder and director of the North Carolina Suzuki Institute for almost forty years, Joanne taught and spoke around the world. In addition to membership in many local and statewide professional organizations, she served on the Board of Directors of the Suzuki Association of the Americas from 1991 to 1995, and as the SAA National Institute Chairman from 1995 to 2001. Joanne received numerous awards and distinctions throughout her professional career, including the North Carolina Governor’s Award in Music in 1996, and the Suzuki Association of the Americas Distinguished Leadership Award in 2002. In 2016, Joanne was honored with a Celebration of Fifty Years for her musical service to the Greenville community.
A Celebration and Thanksgiving for Life Service was held at 2:00 pm on Friday, February 7, at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Greenville. Memorial contributions may be made to ECU Foundation (attn: ECU School of Music), St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Cypress Glen, or the Suzuki Association of the Americas. Online condolences and LiveStream information may be found at https://www
.wilkersonfuneralhome.com.
“We will all miss her, her periwinkle and pink outfits, her beautiful smile, her faith in humanity, her love for all children, her positive way of going about her life, and her dear, sweet demeanor.”

Memories and history compiled by James Hutchins and edited by Shelley Hutchins.